Wild Beasts and Their Ways, Reminiscences of Europe, Asia, Africa and America — Volume 1Baker, Samuel White, Sir
History
Wild Beasts and Their Ways, Reminiscences of Europe, Asia, Africa and America — Volume 1
Baker, Samuel White, Sir
Animal behavior; Hunting
I have never succeeded in killing a male African elephant by the
forehead shot, although it is certainly fatal to the Asiatic variety if
placed rather low, in the exact centre of the boss or projection above
the trunk. Should an African elephant charge, there is no hope of
killing the animal by a direct shot, and the only chance of safety for
the hunter is the possession of good nerves and a powerful
double-barrelled rifle, No. 8 or No. 4, with 14 drams of powder and a
well-hardened bullet. The right-hand barrel will generally stop a
charging elephant if the bullet is well placed very low, almost in the
base of the trunk. Should this shot succeed in turning the animal, the
left-hand barrel would be ready for a shot in the exact centre of the
shoulder; after which, time must be allowed for the elephant to fall
from internal haemorrhage.
There is no more fatal policy in hunting dangerous game than a contempt
of the animal, exhibited by a selection of weapons of inferior calibre.
Gunmakers in London of no practical experience, but who can only trust
to the descriptions of those who have travelled in wild countries,
cannot possibly be trusted as advisers. Common sense should be the
guide, and surely it requires no extraordinary intelligence to
understand that a big animal requires a big bullet, and that a big
bullet requires a corresponding charge of powder, which necessitates a
heavy rifle. If the hunter is not a Hercules, he cannot wield his club;
but do not permit him to imagine that he can deliver the same knock-down
blow with a lighter weapon, simply because he cannot use the heavier.
We lost only last year one of the most daring and excellent men, who was
an excellent representative of the type which is embraced in the proud
word "Englishman"--Mr. Ingram--who was killed by a wild female
elephant in Somali-land, simply because he attacked the animal with a
'450 rifle. Although he was mounted, the horse would not face some
prickly aloes which surrounded it, and the elephant, badly but not
really seriously wounded, was maddened by the attack, and, charging
home, swept the unfortunate rider from his saddle and spitted him with
her tusks.
This year (1889) we have to lament the death of another fine specimen of
our countrymen, the Hon. Guy Dawnay, who has been killed by a wild
buffalo in East Africa. The exact particulars will never be ascertained,
but it appears that he was following through thick jungle a wounded
buffalo, which suddenly turned and was not stopped by the rifle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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